This exhibition is a sequel to, and a reevaluation of, the legendary 1969 exhibition When Attitudes Become Form, which was curated by Harald Szeemann at Kunsthalle Bern in Switzerland. It brings together 82 international contemporary artists who follow, in various ways, the legacy of Szeemann’s iconic exhibition.

The 1969 show brought together new tendencies in the art known today as Postminimalism, Arte Povera, Land art, and Conceptual art, from Western Europe and the United States. It contributed a great deal to our historical understanding of the art of that time, how exhibitions themselves can influence artists and their works, and also how exhibitions can define art history. It was influential in promoting a wider understanding and acceptance of Conceptual art, as it included many non-material and process-based works.

When Attitudes Become Form has been discussed, researched, and examined in a wide range of essays, books, and conferences; When Attitudes Became Form Become Attitudes is the first major exhibition it has inspired. The new show will present existing pieces by artists working in relation to the history of Conceptual art as well as newly commissioned works by artists such as Zarouhie Abdalian, James Beckett, Abraham Cruzvillegas, Annika Eriksson, Simon Fujiwara, Jeppe Hein, Jonathan Monk, Nicolás Paris, and Hank Willis Thomas, who will respond directly to the history of the 1969 show and to the site of the new show. With the contemporary artworks installed alongside archival materials, floor plans, and installation images from the 1969 show, this new exhibition does not make a distinction between what is past and what is present, but rather considers When Attitudes Become Form as a living past.

The publication accompanying the new exhibition, designed by Jon Sueda / Stripe, will follow the original “office binder” format of the 1969 publication. It will include a conversation between Jens Hoffmann and Harald Szeemann, conducted in 2002; newly commissioned essays by Constance Lewallen, Christian Rattemeyer, and Julian Myers; and alphabetically arranged pages with artist biographies and images. Like Szeemann’s 1969 publication, it will also feature works that are interventions directly into the catalogue.

When Attitudes Became Form Become Attitudeswill travel to the Museum of Contemporary Art DetroitFebruary 1–March 31, 2013.

Visit wattis.org and cca.edu/calendar for current information concerning related programs, lectures, and events.When Attitudes Became Form Become Attitudesis curated by Jens Hoffmann, director of the CCA Wattis Institute.

About the CCA Wattis InstituteThe Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts was established in 1998 in San Francisco at California College of the Arts. It serves as a forum for the presentation and discussion of international contemporary art and curatorial practice. Through groundbreaking exhibitions, the Capp Street Project residency program, lectures, symposia, and publications, the Wattis Institute has become one of the leading art institutions in the United States and an active site for contemporary culture in the Bay Area.

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